The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper
“Increased patrols do not protect anyone ... they are actively harmful to poor and oppressed people who are routinely harassed, brutalized, and surveilled by the police in Boston and across the country."
40 years ago this month, Fred Clay was arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. After 38 years behind bars, he’s telling his story and writing another chapter.
Boston researchers have spent years helping government agencies plan and simulate operations to troll potential terrorists. Despite controversial practices and lackluster results, the covert operations continue.
For now, the BPD wants to help officers more quickly locate and access footage. However, if the program expands beyond its small introduction—about 13 locations, according to BPD records—it could develop into a centralized surveillance network.
Photo by Kori Feener
Despite the “mission accomplished” happy talk ...
It can be challenging to make art of any kind that asks people to engage with hard and heavy and ugly issues, but if you look for it there are artists everywhere taking it on.
“The government should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to go on. We need to get real, we need to tell the truth.”
In the blue view, Boston is the bright exemption when it comes to rampant bad behavior on the force, and police here typically respect the civil rights of residents.
In the Commonwealth, even paying for public records doesn’t guarantee you’ll get them
